How is the Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) calculated?

The Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) is calculated using the formula that reflects the number of recordable incidents in relation to the total hours worked, normalized to a base of 200,000 hours. The purpose of this rate is to provide a standard metric for assessing the safety performance of an organization over time and across different entities, making it easier to compare safety records.

Calculating TRIR this way involves taking the total number of recordable incidents—defined by OSHA as any work-related injury or illness that results in death, loss of consciousness, days away from work, or restricted work or transfer to another job—and multiplying that number by 200,000. This multiplication is done to scale the number of incidents to a common baseline of hours and allows for a standardized comparison, as the 200,000 hours represents approximately the number of hours worked by 100 employees over a year at 40 hours per week.

In addition to its usefulness for comparisons, this approach encapsulates both the frequency and the impact of workplace incidents. By focusing on hours worked, it accounts for the amount of exposure workers have to hazards in the workplace, making the TRIR a valuable tool for safety professionals aiming to mitigate risks and improve their organization’s safety record.